> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.aethercitadel.cloud/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Get your API key and make your first intent verification in 5 minutes

## Step 1 — Get an API Key

<Steps>
  <Step title="Choose a plan">
    Visit our [pricing page](https://akashalabs.cloud/#pricing) and select a plan. Payment takes under 60 seconds.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check your email">
    After payment, you'll receive an email from `keys@aethercitadel.cloud` with your API key:

    ```
    ack_live_a1b2c3d4e5f6...
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Keep it secret">
    This key controls your allocation. Don't commit it to git or expose it in client-side code. Store it as an environment variable.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Step 2 — Generate an Intent

Before your app serves AI output to a user, generate an intent signature:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl -X POST https://api.aethercitadel.cloud/v1/intent/generate \
    -H "X-Citadel-Key: ack_live_YOUR_KEY" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -d '{
      "user_token": "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9...",
      "ttl": 3600
    }'
  ```

  ```typescript Node.js theme={null}
  const response = await fetch('https://api.aethercitadel.cloud/v1/intent/generate', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
      'X-Citadel-Key': process.env.CITADEL_API_KEY!,
      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      user_token: userJwt,
      ttl: 3600,
    }),
  });

  const { intent_hash, intent_class, expires_at } = await response.json();
  ```

  ```python Python theme={null}
  import httpx

  resp = httpx.post(
      "https://api.aethercitadel.cloud/v1/intent/generate",
      headers={"X-Citadel-Key": CITADEL_API_KEY},
      json={"user_token": user_jwt, "ttl": 3600},
  )
  data = resp.json()
  intent_hash = data["intent_hash"]
  ```
</CodeGroup>

**Response:**

```json theme={null}
{
  "intent_hash": "sha256:a1b2c3d4e5f6...",
  "intent_class": "commerce",
  "expires_at": 1718000000
}
```

Store the `intent_hash` — you'll need it in step 3.

***

## Step 3 — Call Your AI

Pass the `intent_hash` to your AI service using the `X-Intent-Hash` header:

```typescript theme={null}
const aiResponse = await fetch('https://your-ai-service.com/api/query', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${userToken}`,
    'X-Intent-Hash': intentHash,   // ← attach the hash
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({ prompt: userInput }),
});
```

***

## Step 4 — Verify the Response

After the AI responds, verify it hasn't been tampered with:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl -X POST https://api.aethercitadel.cloud/v1/intent/verify \
    -H "X-Citadel-Key: ack_live_YOUR_KEY" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -d '{
      "original_intent_hash": "sha256:a1b2c3d4...",
      "response": {
        "match_id": "resp_xyz",
        "payload": { "text": "AI output here..." },
        "timestamp": 1718000100,
        "signature": "hmac_sig..."
      }
    }'
  ```

  ```typescript Node.js theme={null}
  const verify = await fetch('https://api.aethercitadel.cloud/v1/intent/verify', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
      'X-Citadel-Key': process.env.CITADEL_API_KEY!,
      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      original_intent_hash: intentHash,
      response: aiScaleResponse,
    }),
  });

  const { cleared, reason } = await verify.json();

  if (!cleared) {
    console.error('Blocked by Bharat-Shield:', reason);
  }
  ```
</CodeGroup>

**Response:**

```json theme={null}
{
  "cleared": true,
  "reason": null,
  "payload": { "text": "AI output here..." }
}
```

***

## Check Your Usage

At any time, check your usage against your plan limit:

```bash theme={null}
curl https://api.aethercitadel.cloud/v1/tenant/usage \
  -H "X-Citadel-Key: ack_live_YOUR_KEY"
```

```json theme={null}
{
  "email": "you@company.com",
  "plan": "Citadel Starter",
  "usage_count": 1234,
  "rate_limit": 50000,
  "remaining": 48766
}
```

***

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Authentication" icon="key" href="/authentication">
    How API keys work and how to rotate them
  </Card>

  <Card title="Zero-Knowledge" icon="lock" href="/guides/zero-knowledge">
    How we protect user privacy
  </Card>

  <Card title="Bharat-Shield" icon="shield" href="/guides/bharat-shield">
    What threats we block automatically
  </Card>

  <Card title="Full API Reference" icon="book" href="/api-reference/generate-intent">
    All endpoints, parameters and response shapes
  </Card>
</CardGroup>